The Tree
by mchfltn
Summary: A girl. A boy. A tree. An exchange. DMHG. AU. Oneshot.


This is actually my first original story. Without my otps and all. But I think it'd do for a short Dramione fic. Just a bit different and OOC.

College is taking up most of my time but I'm trying to manage and still read lots of fics and visit my fandoms.

Anyway, enjoy reading. :)

**Disclaimer**: J.K. Rowling owns all the rights to Harry Potter. I simply own the plot.

* * *

I always spend my Saturday afternoons alone.

I would go to the park just a few blocks away. I would sit under my tree. It's mine since I am the only one who sits under its shade. Then I would take out my book from my bag and read.

I'm not a fast reader so I can take long hours, sometimes days, to finish.

When I put down The Great Gatsby, the lamp posts are already lit and the sun is setting. Just a little tinge of red and orange in the pink sky.

That's when I look around.

Every Saturday, different people come here. But it's always the same assortment. Old married couples, young dating couples, a whole family, moms with noisy kids, a kid with his or her dog, and a group of students. Different faces every week. And I always realize how I am the only one in here who is alone.

And the boy who sits under the tree a few yards away from me.

I think he is my age, and that he probably goes to the same university as me but I am not sure. The only thing I'm sure about is that he has always been here at the park since I owned this tree. And that he likes books too. Ever since I first saw him, his nose was always buried in the book he was reading. I only look at him before I start reading, and after I finish, and all those time, he looks just the same.

Sometimes I wonder if he's really reading or he's dozing off.

Sometimes I even think he's inhaling the scent.

I look at him now.

Hmm. Does The Fountainhead smell good?

* * *

Today I'm reading The Beautiful and Damned.

When I left after I ate lunch, the sky seems pretty dark. But I still head out for the park.

Someone might take interest on my tree and I couldn't let it happen.

I'm halfway with the story when I heard the roll of thunder. But it still didn't faze me. I haven't taken my eyes off a book until I finish it. That's how determined and concentrated I am. A few lightning and still I'm continuing with my book. And then this particularly loud and roaring one finally stopped me from what I am doing.

I looked up, and saw the gathering clouds which are the colour of grey. Then I looked around me. No one's left. Everybody has fled. Maybe when I first heard the thunder.

I was packing my book when I caught a glimpse of the boy under the tree beside mine mirroring my actions. Except he was already standing on his feet, and then he sprinted towards the nearest shelter.

That is the first time I have seen his face not hidden in a book.

When I got to my feet, the first droplets of rain began to fall, and I have never felt grateful for bringing my heavy bag with my umbrella in it.

* * *

The weather today is the nicest in months.

The sun is bright, but the wind is cool.

I just finished The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I read it not only because it's Fitzgerald's but I have watched the film and genuinely liked it.

The park is more crowded today.

I see old couples eating ice cream. Young couples making out. A family having a small picnic. A kid crying over a candy, her mom giving her a new one. A boy throwing a Frisbee for his dog to catch. A group of students talking about teachers. Moms with their babies in strollers. A band playing a song. Little children running after each other. A father and a son flying a kite. Friends telling jokes and laughing because of it.

And I remember that I'm always alone.

Except for the boy who owns the tree next to mine.

I turned my head to look over at him, wondering what book he's fallen asleep over or sniffing.

But he's not there.

I'm a bit surprised to find out he isn't there. He was there before I started reading.

But maybe he is now spending time with someone really nice on this beautiful day.

After all, who would waste this type of weather with reading alone in the park?

I placed my book in my bag. When I was already on my feet, someone almost rasped.

"Leaving?"

Then I see the boy standing in front of me. He looks tired, like he just finished a run. He's breathing hard.

"Yes. Can I help you with anything?" I asked. He takes a run on this kind of days? But he's still wearing the same clothes. With his backpack. Weird.

He nodded and muttered "Wait" while he rummaged in his bag.

When he got a book out of it, he said, "Would you like to exchange books?"

I looked at the cover and saw that it's The Stranger, not The Catcher in the Rye which he had before.

He added, "I know you're into Fitzgerald these months, but I've never seen you read this, and I've actually never read what you're reading before so…"

I want to ask him why he knows this but I don't know how without it sounding weird. Especially if I told him that I think he never reads the books, he just smells them or falls asleep while reading.

"Why did you look like you just ran a mile?" I asked instead but my hands are already on my bag's zip, and pulling out the book.

Then he smiled, "I have to get you something you haven't read yet to exchange with you." His dimples are showing. He has a really nice smile.

"Oh. How did you-"

"That's what you've first read when you claimed this as your tree." He leaned against my tree, and he just looked at me.

I don't know what to say to him. I never thought I would talk to him. But then realizing we are the only persons here who are alone, I guess this would happen eventually.

But not this way.

And even though I don't understand it, I just smiled and told him that it's my favourite. And that he has a really good memory. And that I think he likes Vernes so much because I saw him with his books the past months, and that his favourite was probably To Kill a Mockingbird because he read it for four times already. I also told him that I think he just smells the book.

He laughed. And he told me I also have good memory, and that it's his favourite. And that sometimes, he actually sniffs the book.

We exchanged books, and because it's still early, we sat down.

He asked me jokingly if I was okay with him sitting under my tree. And then I laughed too.

And just like that, we're not the two lonely persons in the park anymore.

I've always spent my Saturday afternoons alone.

Until the boy who owns the tree next to mine asked to exchange a book with me.

From then on, it became our tree.

* * *

This story is also on my FictionPress account and I just did some small changes.

Thanks for reading. Please let me know what you think. :)


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